In January 2017, United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), undoing his predecessor Barack Obama’s move for America to spearhead free trade with 11 countries in the Pacific Rim.

On May 8, the US withdrew from the Iran Nuclear Deal on Trump’s order undoing another Obama legacy set in 2015 despite appeals from allies that are party to the agreement. Trump’s move restores US economic sanctions on Iran for continuing its nuclear development program.

Under the US sanction, countries and companies are banned from dealing with Iran. Doing so would cause them to lose their trade ties with the US. This is causing headache to European companies that have revived economic ties with Iran.

On Tuesday, the US withdrew from the 125-country United Nations Human Rights Council over the membership of countries it called “human rights abusers” and hostility of the body to its ally Israel. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, who announced the withdrawal, branded council members’ silence over the wrongdoings of other members as “hypocrisy.”

Except for the latest rapprochement with North Korea, it seems Washington is in an isolationist mood. And Trump is not yet finished with his “America first” policy and impulsive geopolitics.

Trump has just kicked off a trade war with China and his threat to bolt the North American Free Trade Agreement and insistence on putting a wall along the border with Mexico could add more cracks to US relations with neighbors.

How Trump’s decisions would favor Americans or backfire remains to be seen. But the probability of polarizing the international community should be a cause for concern. Worse, the US may shift the center of gravity towards China which is aggressively establishing its superpower status economically, politically and militarily.

Maybe Washington should calm down a bit and rethink its policies that could alienate its long-time friends and lead them to the welcoming arms of Asia’s economic powerhouse.

Of course, Trump has the option of staying his course. An isolationist direction, after all, is not worrisome. Cuba, Iran and North Korea were able to cope and progress. And it may just be a strategy to reorganize and reestablish strength in the face of a more challenging world order.